I am in kahoots with Kahoot!

I came across Kahoot! this morning, made a short quiz, and my students fell in love. Kahoot! allows a teacher or student to create a quiz that the class can play as a game. The students became extremely competitive right away. There is a way to incorporate YouTube videos and images into the creation of quiz questions. Additionally, one can access quizzes already created if they want to save some time. A teacher can also create surveys and discussion activities, though I have not tried them out yet.You can view my Kahoot! from today at this link.

A student logs in once the teacher starts the quiz--all a student needs is an internet accessible device and an internet connection (NO APP NEEDED). In order to join the game, the student needs to input the game pin created each time the teacher starts a new game (see image below). The questions and answers are displayed by the teacher on an LCD screen and the students in the audience get points for getting the answer right in the shortest amount of time. The scores are shown after every question...my students became quite competitive. After the game, the teacher can download the student's results (formative assessment data!!)

The image to the left is what is shown by the teacher's LCD screen, while the image to the right is what shows up on a student's internet enabled device.

Check out the excitement these students show as they answer a question. My students emulated this today....it was pretty fun to watch their excitement.

When we finished the quiz, many students asked "Why didn't we do this all year?" Lol...I found out about Kahoot! today, but guess what I will be using next year to formatively assess my students....

Flipping the Classroom INSIDE the Classroom

A colleague sent me an article a few weeks ago describing the "In Class" Flipped Model. After reading the first paragraph, I jumped out of my chair and said to myself, "This is what I am doing!!". I am lucky to have an iPad cart and reliable WiFi. However, I teach in an "urban" high school where nearly 70% of the student population receives a free/reduced lunch. Thus, requiring students to perform an assignment that requires technology/internet access can be challenging. I often use other YouTube videos or my own creations inside the classroom. The students and I like the fact that they can work at their own pace--rewinding, pausing, fast forwarding without waiting for me or slowing down their classmates. Typically, students will view a video, answer written questions that accompany the video, and complete a multiple choice formative assessment. I thoroughly enjoy walking to each student--checking their progress and giving them instant feedback or assistance. I can diagnose problems and explain errors immediately.

Here is an example of a Video/Reading Activity I used with my ESOL Government students when we learned about the Census.

Nevertheless, I do use flipped components outside of the classroom. My AP US Government and Politics students who I see daily regularly have assignments that require them to read/watch something in order to answer questions and provide feedback. I call these assignments Video/Reading Activities (I know...a catchy title!) Based upon student questions they submit and answers they provide on the attached formative assessments, I can spend class time efficiently teaching in the areas students need help rather than just guessing.

Here is an example of a Video/Reading Activity I used in my Public Policy Unit with my AP US Government and Politics students.

There are many pros to this method, however, the main cons are the amount of time a teacher needs in order to prepare these lessons. I assume I will be able to reuse and tweak current versions for future classes.

Here are the main tools I use to perform my "In Class" Flip:
- Google Forms
- Flubaroo
- Screencast-O-matic
- YouTube